Foot-operated elevator.



R.LABORDA. FOOT OPERATED ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14,1913.

1,091,935 Patented Mar-.31, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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R. LABOR'DA. FOOT OPERATED ELEVATOR. APPLICATION IILBD JUNE 14, 1918.

1,091,935. 7 Patented Mar. 31, 1914 2 SHEBTSBHEET 2.

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,RICI-IARD LABORDA, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FOOT-OPERATED ELEVATOR.

Application filed June 14, 1913. Serial No. 774,472.

To alt whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD LABOBDA, asubject of the King of Spain, and a resident of the city and county ofSan Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Foot-Operated Elevators, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My invention relates to improved foot operated elevators wherein a caris provided with stirrups attached to cables that are wound on springcontrolled drums, the tension of either spring being greater than theweight of the empty car and the stirrups therein, and wherein theelevation of the said car is permitted by alternately transferring theweight of the operator from one stirrup to the other, and the objects ofmy invention are, first, to provide an improved foot operated elevatorthat will present a series of alternately elevated supports for the feetof the operator, second, to provide means for elevating each support orstirrup separately and independently of the other when the weight of theoperator is removed therefrom, third, to provide means for controllingthe descent of the operator, and fourth, to provide means for preventingthe elevation of the car and the stirrups therein when the weight of theoperator is removed from both stirrups at the same time, or when the caris not in use. I accomplish these several features by means of thedevice illustrated in the drawings forming a part of the presentspecification wherein like numerals of reference designate similar partsthroughout the said specification and drawing and wherein- Figure 1 is abroken front elevation of the foot operated elevator disclosing themanner in which the car is slidably mounted within the frame and thestirrups within the car, the spring controlled drums rotatably mountedon the top of the frame, one portion of one of the drums being brokenaway disclosing the oppositely faced ratchets on the other drum, thecentrifugal governor for controlling the descent of the car, and thelatch for preventing the elevation of the car by the spring controlleddrums when the car is not in use. Fig. 2 is a broken sectional viewtaken on the line X-X of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated bythe arrow. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the springcontrolled drums disclosing the manner in which the weighted leversengage the band brake members and the manner in which the said bandbrakes engage the brake drum. Also the springs which retain the weightedarms or levers normally against fixed stops. Fig. a is a verticalsectional view taken through both spring controlled drums showing themanner in which the centrifugal governor is secured to the drums and thecoiled springs within the drums; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one ofthe drums disclosing the manner in which the driving spring is connectedto the shaft and to the drums.

This foot operated elevator is designed for the purpose of reaching highshelves and other high places beyond the reach of a person standing onthe floor, and may be also used in building construction, mine shaftsand the like or any place where it is impracticable to build stairs or apower operated elevator.

For convenience in drawing I have illustrated the device in aperpendicular position but in actual practice it is intended that theelevator shall he leaned against the shelf or wall.

My invention able supporting consists chiefly in a suitframe 1 having astationary shaft 2 secured to the upper portion thereof by means of thesupports 2. Rotatably mounted upon the stationary shaft 2 are the springcontrolled drums 3 and 4 having ratchets 5 and 6, respectively, securedto the outer rims thereof. The ratchets on the drum 3 are faced in adirection opposite to that in which the ratchets on the drum 4: arefaced. Pawls 7 and 8 are secured to the counter-shafts 9 and 10 whichare in turn provided with the depending levers 11 and 12 respectively,the said pawls 7 and 8 being adapted to engage the oppositely facedratchets 5 and 6 of the drums 3 and 4 respectively, for the purpose ofpreventing the said drums 3 and 4- from being rotated in a directionthat will wind up the coiled springs S secured thereto and to theportion of the stationary shaft 2 within the said drums.

Cords 13 and 14 are secured to the lower ends of the levers 11 and 12respectively, and to a central cord 15. so that when the said cord. 15is pulled downward the said levers 11 and 12 will be moved toward eachother and thereby disengage the pawls 7 and 8 from the ratchets 5 and 6respectively.

Rigidly secured to the stationary shaft and between the supports 2'thereof, are brake drums 16, which are also adapted to serve as bushingsfor the purpose of preventing a lateral movement of the drums 3 and 4upon the shaft 2. Rigidly secured to the outer surfaces of the drums 3and 4 are pins 17 to which are pivotally connected the band brakes 18having hooked ends 20. The band brakes 18 are adapted to engage thesurface of the brake drum 16 and check the speed of the drums 3 and 41to which they are attached when the weight on the car during its descentcauses the said drums 3 and 4 to rotate too rapidly, and are operated bymeans of the weighted levers 22 which are also pivotally mounted uponthe pins 17, and which are also provided with the hooked ends 21, saidhooked ends 21 being adapted to engage the hooked ends 20 of the bandbrakes 18 and press the said brakes against the periphery of the brakedrum 16 when the centrifugal force due to the rapid rotation of thedrums 3 and 4 is greater than the tension of the springs 23 whichnormally retain the weighted levers 22 against the fixed steps 22.

Slidably mounted within the supporting frame 1 is a car 25 havingstirrups 26 and 27 slidably mounted therein. A cable 28 has one endsecured to the bottom of the stirrup 26 and after passing under suitablepulleys 29 and 30, secured to the bottom of thecar 25, is secured at theother end there of to the bottom of the stirrup 27.

A cable 31 has its upper end secured to the drum 3 while its lower endis secured to the top of the stirrup 27 within the car 25. A similarcable 32 has the upper end thereof secured to the drum 4 and the lowerend thereof to the stirrup 26. In this manner the cable 31, stirrup 27cable 28, stirrup 26 and the cable 32 form a continuous connectionbetween the drums 3 and 4. The cable 28 which forms the lower portion ofthe said continuous connection supports the car 25 as hereinbeforedescribed.

The lower end of the supporting frame 1 is provided with suitablerollers 33 so that the said frame may be transported easily.

A latch 35 is pivotally secured to the upper end of the car 25 as at 36,the said latch 35 being slightly longer than the dis tance between thepivot 36 and the vertical member of the frame 1 so that any tendency ofthe car 25 to move upward will cause the said latch 35 to be jammedbetween the said pivot 36 and the said member of the frame 1. In thismanner the car 25 is prevented from rising when the car is not in useand when the latch is in the position indicated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings.

The springs S, which are secured to the drums 3 and 4 and to thestationary shaft 2 upon which the said drums are ro-tatably mounted, arecoiled about the said shaft 2 in opposite directions to each other. The

cables 31 and 32 are wound around the drums 3 and 4, respectively, inopposite directions to each other. Also each cable is wound in adirection opposite to that in which the spring secured to that drum iscoiled, so that when either cable is pulled downward it will wind up thespring sea cured to that particular drum to which that particular cableis secured. Conversely, when either cable is releasedthe action of thespring, secured to that drum, in unwinding will rotate that drum andwind up the cable thereon and thereby elevate the stirrup secured tothat cable and the car25, providing. the latch 35 has been .releasedfrom the vertical member of the frame 1.

The tension of either spring is sufiicient torotate the drum to which'it is secured and to wind either cable vate-the car 25and 'the'stirrups26 and 27 therein, when the pawls 7 and 8 are released from the ratchets5 and 6, respectively, and when there is no weight on the stirrups orthe car 25. hen a weight greater than the combined tensions of thesprings S is placed upon the stirrups 26 and 27, the said car andstirrups are prevented from moving downward and are supported by meansof the pawls 7 and 8 which engage the ratchets 5 and 6 of the drums 3respectively, to which drums the said stirrups are secured. Should thepawls 7 and 8 be released, by means of the cord 15, from. the ratchets 5and 6, respectively, the weight of the operator standing on and 27 willpull the cables 32 and 31 clownward and cause the springs S to be woundon the shaft 2.

The operation of the device is as follows: Both feet of the operator areplaced in the stirrups 26 and 27 and the latch 35 is disengaged from thevertical member of the frame 1, the operator supporting the upperportion of his person by taking hold of the said vertical members.Inasmuch as the ratchets 5 and 6 of the drums 3 and 4, respectively, areengaged by the pawls 7 and 8 the weight of 26 and 27 which are securedto the cables 32 and 31, respectively, will be supported and the drumsbe prevented from unwind.-' ing the cables thereon by means of the saidpawls 7 and 8. By raising the foot within the stirrup 27 the tension ofthe spring S will rotate the drum 3 and wind the cable and 1, 9

thereon and elethe stirrups 26 f the operator on the stirrups 31, towhich the stirrup 27 is secured, upon j the said drum. Simultaneously,the cable 28, one end of which is secured to the stirrup 27, will beraised and thereby elevate the car 25 until the same comes into contactwith the bottom of the stirrup 26 to which the other end of the saidcable 28 is secured. Also, while the stirrup 27 is beingraised by thedrum 3, the pawl 8 engages the ratchet 6 of the drum 4 therebypreventing 90 of the car 25, V I

the said drum 4: from rotating in a direction that will lower the saidstirrup 26 that is supporting the weight of the operator. By shiftingthe weight of the operator to the stirrup 27 and raising the foot withinthe stirrup 26 the said weight will be supported by means of the pawl?whichengages the ratchet 5 of the drum 3 so that the cable 31 thereonwill not be unwound. Simultaneously, the weight having been removed fromthe stirrup 26, the spring S within the drum 4: will rotate the saiddrum and wind up the cable 32, thereby elevating the said stirrup 26 andthe car 25. It is evident that by alternately raising the feet of theoperator the springs S will wind up the cable attached to the stirrupsalternately and thereby raise the stirrups and the car until the desiredelevation is attained. When the operator desires to be lowered the pawls7 and 8 are released from the ratchets 5 and 6 of the drums 8 and 4,respectively, by means of the cord 15, which, when pulled downward, willdraw the lower ends of the levers 11 and 12 together and therebywithdraw or release the said pawls from the said rat-chets. The weightof the operator being greater than the combined tensions of the springsS the said weight will lower the car 25 and the stirrups 26 and 27therein and rotate the drums 3 and 4 in a direction that will wind upthe said springs ready for the next operation of elevating the car. Thespeed of the descent will be controlled by means of the weighted levers22 in the manner hereinbefore described. After the car has reached thebottom of the supporting frame 1 it is prevented from being elevated bythe tension of the springs S by means of the latch 35 which is placed inposition before the operator removes his feet from the stirrups.

It is obvious from the foregoing that I have provided improved means forelevating an elevator car by alternately raising the feet of theoperator and alternately shifting the weight of the said operator fromone stirrup to the other. I have also provided means for controlling thedescent of the op z erator and means for retaining the elevator car atany point in the supportingframe. The details of construction are sosusceptible to variation that I do not wish to confine myself to theprecise construction shown and described herein but rather to availmyself of any modification that may fall properly within the scope of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is- 1. A foot operated elevator comprising asuitable car; stirrups slidably mounted within the car; a suitableconnection between the stirrups and adapted to engage the bottom of thecar; a separate cable secured to each separate stirrup; and springcontrolled drums adapted to wind up the cables secured to the stirrupswithin the car and to elevate the said car when the stirrups therein areraised alternately.

2. A foot operated elevator comprising a suitable car; stirrups slidablymounted within the car; a suitable connection between the stirrups andadapted to engage the bottom of the car; a separate cable secured toeach stirrup; spring controlled drums adapted to engage and wind up thecables secured to the stirrups within the car; and means for preventingthe rotation of the drums in a direction that will unwind the cables.

3. A foot operated elevator comprising a suitable frame; a car slidablymounted within the frame; stirrups slidably mounted within the car; asuitable connection between the stirrups and adapted to engage the car;a separate cable secured to the top of each stirrup; and springcontrolled drums rotatably mounted on the top of the frame and adaptedto elevate the car by means of the cables secured to the stirrups withinthe said car.

4:. A foot operated elevator comprising a suitable frame; a car slidablymounted within the frame; stirrups slidably mounted within the car; asuitable connection between the stirrups and adapted to engage thebottomof the car; a separate cable secured to each stirrup; springcontrolled drums rotatably mounted on the top of the frame and adaptedto elevate the car within the frame by means of the cables secured toeach stirrup within the car; and means for preventing the car from beinglowered.

.5. A foot operated elevator comprising a suitable frame; a car slidablymounted within the frame; stirrups slidably mounted within the car; asuitable connection be tween the bottom of the stirrups and adapt edtoengage the bottom of the car; spring controlled drums rotatablymounted on the top of the frame; a separate cable secured to the top ofeach stirrup and wound separately upon each drum; means adapted toprevent the cables from being unwound from the drums; and means forpreventing the car from beingelevated when not in use.

6. A foot operated elevator comprising a suitable frame; a car slidablymounted within the frame; stirrups slidably mounted within the car; asuitable connection between the bottom of the stirrups and adapted toengage the bot-tom of the car; spring controlled drums having ratchetsthereon and rotatably mounted on the top of the frame; a separate cablewound upon each drum and secured to each stirrup; pawls pivotallysecured to the frame and adapted to engage the ratchets on the drums forthe purpose of preventing the drums from rotating in a direction thatwill unwind the cables therefrom; means for releasing the pawls from theratchets; and means adapted to prevent the elevation of thecar when thesame is not in use. v

7. A foot operated elevator comprising a suitable frame; a car slidablymounted within the frame; stirrups slidably mounted within the car; acable secured to the stirrups and adapted to support the car; a shaftfixedly secured to the top of the frame; drums rotatably mounted uponthe fixed shaft and having ratchets thereon; springs secured to theshaft and the drums thereon and adapted to rotate the said drums inopposite directions; a separate cable secured to each stirrup within thecar and separately wound on separate drums; pawls pivotally secured tothe frame and adapted to engage the ratchets on the drums for thepurpose of preventing the said drums from rotating in a direction thatwill unwind the cable thereon; a suitable cord adapted to release thepawls from the ratchets; and

means for preventing the elevation of the car when not in use.

8. In a foot operated elevator, the combination of a suitable frame; acar slidably mounted within the frame; stirrups slidably mounted withinthe car; a suitable cable secured to the bottom of each stirrup andadapted to support the car; a shaft fixedly secured to the top of theframe; drums rotatably mounted upon the said shaft and having ratchetsthereon, the ratchets on one drum being faced in a direction opposite tothat in which the ratchets on the other drum are faced; springs coiledin opposite directions and secured to the fixed shaft and to the drumsrotatably mounted thereon; a separate cable secured to each stirrupwithin the car and separately wound on each separate drum and adapted toelevate the car within the frame when the drums are rotated by thesprings secured thereto and to'the stationary shaft; pawls pivotallysecured to the top of the frame and adapted to engage the ratchets onthe drums for the purpose of preventing the rotation of the said drumsin a direction that will unwind the cables thereon; a suit-able cordadapted to release the pawls from the ratchets on the drums; a latchsecured to the top of the car and adapted to engage theielevator framefor the purpose of preventing the car Within the frame from beingelevated when the said car is not in use; and means for controlling thespeed of rotationof the drums when the pawls are disengaged from theratchets thereon and the car and stirrups therein are moving downward. V

9. In a foot operated elevator, the combination of a suitable frame; acar slida-bly mounted within the frame; stirrups slidably mounted withinthe car; a suitable cable secured to the bottom of each stirrup andadapted to support the car; a shaft fixedly secured to the top of theframe and having brake drums fixedly secured thereto; drums rotatablymounted upon the fixed shaft and having ratchets on the outer rimsthereof, the ratchets on one drum being faced in a direction opposite tothat in,

which the ratchets on the other drum are faced; springs coiled inopposite directions from each other and secured to the fixed shaft andthe drums rotatably mounted thereon; a separate cablesecured to each 7separate stirrup within the car and separately wound upon each separatedrum; pawls pivotally secured to the top of the frame and havingdepending levers secured thereto and adapted to engage the ratchets onthe drums for the purpose of preventing the said drums from rotating ina direction that will unwind the cables thereon and wind the springssecured thereto; a suitable cord secured to the lower ends of thedepending levers secured to the pawls for the purpose of releasing thesaid pawls from' the said ratchets; a latch secured to the top of thecar and adapted to engage the frame for the purpose of preventing thecar from being elevated when not in use; and means arranged to engagethe brake drums on the fixed shaft and to controlthe descent of the car.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEO. SoHMrrz, JAMES F. MoCUE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. c

